Tray support



s. COHEN Jun 17, 1941.

TRAY SUPPORT Filed Dec. 5, 1939 Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,246,432 TRAY surroazr 'Scl Cohen, Atlanta,'Ga.

Application December 5, 19.39, Serial No.v30t7,679

2 Claims. ((1311-22) This invention relates to a portable tray support.

The invention aims to provide, in a manner a hereinafter set forth, a support of the class referred to for carrying a tray containing edibles or drinlrables from a point of supply and for rigidly supporting it in laterally extended relation with respect to a Window of an automobile.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a support of the class referred to upon which the tray is mounted and'with the support including means whereby the tray may be secured thereto in selected varying laterally extended positions with respect to a side of said support.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a support for the purpose referred to, whereby the tray mounted thereon maybe rigidly supported, coupled with and extended into a Window opening of an automobile to facilitate an occupant of the automobile having convenient access to the contents of the tray. v

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a structure of the type referred to which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable,lcompact, conveniently handled, thoroughly efficient in the use intended thereby and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Embodying the aims aforesaid and others which may hereinafterappear,the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will bemore specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to whichfall within the scopeof the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the portable .tray support further illustrating in dotted lines the tray mounted thereon,

Figure 2 is asection on line 2-4! Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 Figur 1 with the tray shown in full lines.

The structure, generally indicated at 3, is of frame-like form and it includes a pair of inverted yoke-shaped side bars 4, 5 of like form and disposed in parallel spaced relation. Each sidebar includesa bight 6 and a pair of depending arms I, B. The bight of each side bar, .at a point between the transverselmedian of the bight and the arm Fl, is .formed with an opening 9.

The bightli between the opening 9 and the arm I is "formed with an opening Ill. The purpose of the openings 8 .and "Ill will be hereinafter referred :to. The openings 9, 1.0 in the bight 6 of the bar '4 align respectively with the openings 9, l0 in the bightGof-thebar 5.

The arms 1 are disposed in spaced alignment and arranged-atthe front of the structure. The arms 8 are :arrangedjin ,parallel spaced alignment and arrangedin thelrear oi the structure 3.

The bars 4, .5 are connected together by a pair of spaced parallel combinedbracing and coupling members! I, l=2-of"str,ap-:like form. The'members H, 12 are arranged below the bights 6 of the bars 4, 5. Thefends of the member *II are connected to the :bightsrfi of the bars -4, -5 -by the holdiast means 13, 14. The ends of the member t2 areconnected to the bights 6 of the bars 4, *Eby theholdfast means 15, 1:6. The holdfast means 13, A4 are disposed in proximity to the openings -ll1. The holdfast means l5, 16 are disposed between ;the transverse medians of the blghts 6 and "the arms 1 of the bars *4, 5. The arms 1, 8 of .thezbars 4, 5 are of less length than the bights 6 ofgsuch bars. The members H, 12 are of theysame lengthas the bights 6 of "the "bars M5.

At the transverse median of the structure 3 it isformed with a strap-like support ll consisting of an :upperend portion t8, an intermediate portion 19, a lower end portion 20 and a depending 'lug2l formed at the outer end of the end portion 20. The lug 2| is provided with anopening '22. The portion .18 :is of materially less length thanctheportionjfli. The portion 19 is of materially :less length than the portion 20 and extends forwardly at a downward inclination from the :portionzlB to the portion 20. The portion ['8 is secured :upon the :upper face of the member l2 by the holdfast means 23. The portion 2|] is secured intermediate its ends against the lower face :of the member II by the'holdfast means 24. Secured'against the lower face of the portion ZUofthe support 11 in proximity to the portion H of such support is a depending angle shaped bracketys25 formed of a horizontal leg 26 and a vertical =leg-2l. The leg 2! depends from the forward endof the leg 26, and the latter is secured :to the portion 20 of support I! by the holdfast means 28. Arranged below and disposed inspaced relation to the portion 20 of the support H is a carrier 29 in the form of a bar of circular cross section. The ends 30 of the carrier 1-29 are reduced, thereby forming the latter witha lpair of ashoulders 3|. The shoulders 3i abut against the forward face of the leg 21 and against the rear face of the lug 2|. One of the reduced ends of the carrier 29 is countersunk in the opening 22 formed in the lug 2!. The other reduced end 30 of the carrier 29 is countersunk in an opening 32 formed in the leg 21 of the flange 25. The shoulders 31 coact with the lug 2| and the leg 21 to prevent the carrier 29 shifting lengthwise with respect to the support 11.

The support 3 includes a bracing element 33, which correlates with the arms 8 and front of the body 34 of the automobile below the window opening 35 for not only supporting the structure 3 in laterally extended relation with respect to the sill 36 of said opening 35, but also for detachably clamping the structure 3 to the automobile body and in this connection when structure 3 is clamped with body 34 the arms 8 abut the inner face of such body. Th tray, which is selectively secured at different points of the structure 3 is indicated at 31 and it is shown in dotted and full lines respectively in Figures 1 and 3. The bracing element 33 is of sectional form and includes rear and front sections 38, 39 respectively of strap-like form. The section 38 is of greater length than the section 39 and it is formed of an upper end part Ml, a lower end part 4! and an intermediate part 62 connecting end parts and ll together. The parts fill, M are disposed in parallel planes and with the part Gil arranged forwardly of the part M. The intermediate part 42 extends upwardly from the part 4! at a forward inclination to the part 43 and is of materially greater length than said parts 40, 4|. Secured to the rear face of the lower end part ll of the section 38 is a cushioning member 43 which, when element 43 is in active position, bears against the outer face of the body 34 of the automobile, as is shown in Figure 2. The section 39 consists of an upper end part 24. a lower end part 45 and an intermediate part 45. The part 44 of the section 39 is disposed in a plane parallel to the plane in. which the end part 60 of section 38 is arranged. The parts 48, M are disposed in spaced relation and in proximity to their upper ends are formed with aligned openings 4?, 48 respectively. The part 45 is disposed at an inclination with respect to the part 44 and it abuts and is secured by the holdfast means t9 against the front'face of the part 42 of the section 38. The part 46 extends upwardly at a forward inclination from the part 45 to the part M of the section 39. The element 33 is loosely mounted on the carrier 29 and for such purpose the carrier 29 extends through the openings 41, 43. Arranged on the carrier 29 between the parts as, M of the sections 38, 39 respectively, as well as bearing against said parts is a coiled spring 50 for maintaining such parts in extended relation.

The structure 3 includes a pair of detachable coupling devices 55, 52 of like form for selectively engaging with the pair of openings 9 or the pair of openings I!) for detachably securing the tray 31 upon the upper face of the structure 3. The bottom 53 of tray 3'! is formed with a pair of aligned openings 54 through which the pair of holdiast devices extend for detachably securing the tray to the support 3. As shown, the holdfast devices 5!, 52 are extended through the pair of openings 9. Each of the holdfast devices, with reference to Figured, includes a headed threaded bolt 55 and a winged nut 56, which correlates with the threaded shank of the bolt 55. When a holdfast device is employed, the bolt thereof extends down through an opening 54, an opening in a bight 6 which aligns with the opening 54 and the nut 56 is screwed home on the bolt 55 to abut against the lower face of the bight 6. When the openings 54 in the bottom 53 of the tray 31 register with the openings lo, the tray 31 will be extended a greator distance outwardly relative to the structure 3, than what is shown in Figure 1, to permit of the arm of an occupant of an automobile to extend a greater distance from the latter when removing the contents of the tray.

When it is desired to remove the structure 3 from coupled relation with respect to the body of the automobile the bracing element 33 is shifted outwardly on the carrier 29 from its engagement with the automobile body 34 and the structure 3 is then lifted to clear the window sill and it then can be transported to any point desired. When lifted to clear the window sill, the bracing element 33 is swung in either direction to a position parallel to the side bars 4, 5 and when transporting the tray the element 33, in such position, is gripped by the person which transfers the structure to the point desired and when transporting, preferably element 33 will be held in the position aforesaid. It is also obvious that the attendant may grip the support I! when transporting the tray from; place to place.

The tray is to be secured to the structure 3 when carried, whereby said structure will always have secured thereto a tray, overcoming the necessity of successively providing a different tray for a support, and by this arrangement the loss of trays is materially reduced.

What I claim is:

1. In a portable support for a serving tray, a pair of inverted yoke-shaped side bars each including a bight and front and rear arms, front and rear spaced parallel couplers disposed at right angles to and having the upper faces of their end terminal portions secured to the lower faces of said bight and spaced inwardly from said arms, a supporting member disposed at the transverse medians of and disposed at right angles to said couplers, said member having its rear terminal portion offset, arranged on and secured to the upper face of said rear coupler, said member having its remaining portion arrange-d below and extended forwardly of said front coupler, said remaining portion being secured. intermediate its ends to the lower face of said front coupler, said member being formed at its forward end with a depending apertured lug, an apertured angle-shaped depending element secured to the lower face of said member forwardly of and in proximity to said rear terminal portion, said element having its aperture aligned with the aperture in said lug, a cylindrical rod-like carrier disposed below, spaced from and aligned with the said remaining portion of said member and having its ends fixed in the said aligned apertures, said bights being apertured, a bracing structure including a pair of arms connected at their lower ends and having spaced parallel apertured upper end portions slidably mounted on said carrier, a controlling spring mounted on the carrier between and bearing against said portions, and a pair of removable coupling devices coacting with the apertures of the bights and adapted to correlate with the bottom of the tray for detachably securing the latter on said bights.

2. In a portable supporting device for a serving tray, a pair of inverted substantially U- shaped or yoke-shaped side bars, each including an apertured bight and front and rear arms, front and rear spaced couplers disposed at right angles to and having faces of their end terminal portions secured to the under faces of said side bars, a supporting member disposed at the transverse medians of said couplers and in an alignment parallel to said side bars, said member being secured adjacent its terminal portions respectively to said couplers, said member having spaced depending apertured portions, said apertures being in alignment with each other for the reception of a cylindrical rod-like carrier, 9. cylindrical rod-like carrier disposed below, spaced 

